Public toilets located in various areas of Bhubaneswar. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 28: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to construct 58 public toilets and 22 community toilets in the city.

The project would be undertaken with funds from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

While public toilets will be constructed in crowded places such as bus stops, market complexes, railway station and major traffic islands, community toilets would be set up for the urban poor in slum areas. At present, there are 15 public toilets and 25 community toilets in the capital.

“The BMC aims to have at least one community toilet in each authorised slum. There are 99 such slums in the city. However, with growing population of the city, the crowded places also need the public toilets to keep the surroundings clean and pollution free,’’ said a senior BMC official.

Sources said that 31 public toilets would be constructed in Bhubaneswar with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Another 12 would be set up in Cuttack.

The JICA would provide Rs 5.16 crore for constructing these toilets.

BMC executive engineer Sarbeswar Jena said site for the toilets were yet to be selected and detailed project report (DPR) has not been prepared.

“The engineering section is working on it. These will be like the public toilets currently in use in the city and being managed by Sulabh International,” he added. They will be integrated complexes with baths, toilets and washbasins. They will cost Rs 10 to 12 lakh each.

“We will be having these facilities at places such as Vani Vihar Square which will be used by thousands of bus passengers and students daily. At present these do not exist and create environment hazard. Even busy market places, traffic sections and community meeting places would be on our target,’’ the official added.

Similarly, there is a plan to have 27 public toilets under the JNNURM.

The funds would also be used for setting up 22 community toilets in the city slums. The expenditure would be to the tune of Rs 6.96 crore.

Slum Improvement Officer Dillip Kumar Routrai said: “The baseline survey for the site selection for the public and community toilets will start very soon. Once the sanitation system is linked to the sewerage network, the city will have a safe ground water table as it would help control contamination.’’